Recent events in the Middle East have served to clarify traits reflective of a true world leader: courage, conviction, and an unwavering commitment to the safety and security of one’s nation and its people. King Abdullah II of Jordan is the personification of such a leader and, in my view, is deserving of both immediate and substantial aid from civilized nations across the globe as he boldly confronts the Satanic evil that is ISIS.

To date, the best Barack Obama has had to offer is a professorial discussion of 1,000-year-old historical events coupled with a mini-sermon cautioning us not to get on our collective “high horse” in response to the burning alive of a fellow human being by Islamic terrorists. In what way does Obama’s arrogant ‘lesson in morality’ assist King Abdullah II or make America and its people safer and more secure?

Current popular jargon consistently refers to Obama as “leading from behind”. I submit that, in order to “lead” from any direction, one must first be a leader. Barack Obama is not now, never has been, and never will be such a person. The tragedy here is that we have at our disposal the best-equipped, best trained, and arguably the most principled Armed Forces in the world who must needs stand idly by because Obama is a pacifist who chooses to intellectualize and orate rather than confront or decisively deal with the clear and present danger that is radical Islam.

Self-styled historian that he is, perhaps Obama should be reminded that another head of state who fancied himself “above it all” likewise chose to immerse himself in trivialities rather than affairs of state – and the Roman Empire fell. Like Nero, Obama seems incapable of stepping away from his inflated sense of self long enough and far enough to effectively deal with matters of state that carry blatantly grave consequences for our nation as a whole. Mirroring his long-time mentor Jeremiah Wright, his seeming nonchalance regarding ISIS is suggestive of one who apparently doesn’t give much of a damn about the fate of this country or its people as world events continue to unfold. Consequently, he and his current mouthpiece, in the form of Susan Rice, continue to downplay reality and instead direct their energies toward accomplishment of favored liberal agenda items. NEWSFLASH: ISIS and their counterparts really aren’t into the whole global warming thing.

In my view, this entire issue comes down to simply a matter of priorities. It seems to me that, to date, Obama has made his priorities abundantly clear and they don’t include any definitive plans to take a strong stand against Islamic terrorism, a known and ever-widening threat not only to the West but the entire civilized world as we know it. My thoughts go out to our military – trained, equipped, ready, and willing but reduced to ineffectiveness because Obama won’t authorize a meaningful engagement of this enemy. I can only imagine the frustration being experienced by our men and women in uniform. I know of no one who is fond of war but I do know of a myriad of exemplary patriots, both past and present, who have sacrificed and will today sacrifice their lives, if need be, to protect the United States and its people. What they’re missing is a Commander-In-Chief. The title is present but there is no person of substance to fulfill and carry out the role.

I respect King Abdullah II for his determination, commitment, and definitive action and applaud Muslim clerics and other leaders in the region who have risen up, banded together, and in unambiguous terms vowed to disallow the hijacking of their faith by militant, radical factions with a 7th-century mindset. Although I am not a Muslim by faith, I nevertheless wish them well in their endeavors because I know first-hand the courage it sometimes takes to stand firm in one’s convictions and make wrongs right against seemingly insurmountable odds.

Only time will tell what Obama will ultimately do with the situation he’s been handed. My hope is that he’ll get off his“high horse”, take a good stiff dose of reality, and assist Jordan in every way feasible toward the accomplishment of its stated goal. We, the civilized world, must indeed all hang together in this fight or ISIS and others like them will make certain we will, in fact, hang separately. Of that there can be no doubt.